


Absentees

by jadestrick



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Gen, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-28
Updated: 2011-10-28
Packaged: 2017-10-25 01:13:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/270053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jadestrick/pseuds/jadestrick
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The crew on Atlantis is filling out absentee ballots.  Written November 19, 2008.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Absentees

**Author's Note:**

> Title: Absentees  
> Author: [info]jadestrick aka Meg  
> Character/Pairing: None.  
> Rating: I don't think I even used ONE curse word. O_O  
> Genre: Humor  
> Spoilers: Nah.  
> Summary: The crew on Atlantis is filling out absentee ballots.  
> Disclaimer: I own a vanilla latte that I'm drinking, a few Neil Gaiman books and I borrowed this laptop. Alas, none of these characters are mine and I claim nothing. This world is unfair.  
> Author's Notes: I actually spun this out the Thursday after Election Day. It just wouldn't go away. Much like anything related to the election. :P

When Elizabeth's back was turned, John heaved a spitball toward the doorway.

But she whipped around when she heard Rodney squeal like a little girl.

Evan chuckled and whispered, "Good shot, sir."

John smiled and leaned a cheek into the palm of his hand. He listened to Elizabeth go over to Rodney and wave the door closed in his face, which came to no avail because he and Carson and Radek merely moved to the window. He forced himself to stop glowering at them and stared at the ballot. While everyone else had been catching up on their election coverage, John had been sparring with Teyla or Ronon and now he felt he was back in high school taking a test and regretting that he hadn't even cracked a book. That and the fact that Foreign Doctors, Inc. were making faces at the Americans wasn't helping him make a decision.

He leaned slightly toward Evan. "It's a free country. Can't we just get up and walk away from this?"

Evan peeked up from under his eyelids with a smirk. "Do you _really_ want to be the one soldier in Atlantis who didn't vote, sir?"

John scowled and let out a huff. "No pressure, Lorne." He sneaked a glance at Evan's ballot. Evan made a face and wrapped his left arm around the paper. John leaned in even closer and received a whack on the back of the head by Elizabeth.

"Hey!" He yelped.

This only warranted a glare. John rubbed his head in mock pain and muttered (a little louder than necessary) some insult involving the words "arbitrary" and "warmonger." Elizabeth sneered and turned back to her job of monitoring the droves of men and women, some in the Atlantis uniform, some in military attire, but all sitting at one of the tables in the mess hall with a pen in hand and a white sheet of cardstock in front of their faces.

John thought she was taking her job as poll watcher a little too seriously. He heard a thump and looked up to see Rodney sniggering silently through the window. When he saw that Radek and Carson were following suit, he frowned and thought about making another spitball. Turning his nose up at the scientists, he wrapped his hands around the back of his head and leaned back. His head was practically touching Elizabeth's leg before she realized that she had no choice but to turn back and stare at him.

"What?!" She whispered.

John put on his renowned and charming smile. "Why aren't you voting, Elizabeth?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but I'll be voting once I deliver these ballots to Stargate Command."

"And whose watchful eye will be breathing down _your_ neck at such a venture?"

In spite of herself, she sighed. "Alas, President Hayes will actually _be_ at Stargate Command when I visit."

John raised his eyebrows. "So...you voting for him?"

Her face went blank. She gestured to the ballot and said, "Vote, John."

"What if I want to do a write-in?"

"Then that's your constitutional right."

John nodded in satisfaction and placed the pen to the ballot. Very clearly, he read aloud as he wrote. "Doctor...Elizabeth...W—"

The ballot was snatched from him before he could write the "eir." Elizabeth looked furious. "John, if you're going to be flippant about this, then why are you even sitting here? For that matter, why are you even in charge? Look!" She gestured around her. "Everyone else is done!"

John--not to be outdone--turned and stuck out his bottom lip. "Elizabeth! I'm surprised at you! You know it's against the rules to even _talk_ to me, much less _touch_ my personal ballot!"

Elizabeth fumed and started to turn red. She practically threw the ballot back at John and walk determinedly to the door beside which Rodney stood, still making faces.

*****

After fifteen minutes and only the third verse of "Rodney McKay: An Ode To My Greatness," John finally walked toward Elizabeth and stuffed his ballot in the manila envelope she held.

As she sealed it and gave him a satisfying grin, he said, "Four years from now, Elizabeth, when you're President, if you want my vote, there's only one thing you have to do."

Her eyebrows rose. "What's that?"

He pointed at Rodney. "Have that exiled."


End file.
